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It was a bit early in the morning to be presented with a Rorschach test, but that is what Jackie spotted in this morning’s sunlight.
The cosmos and lobelia planting in the iron urn obscures the gazebo path.
Ginger lilies are now in bloom.
After the early burst of sunlight, the morning was dull, but the skies cleared this afternoon when we visited the last four stragglers in the Hordle Scarecrow Trail. All are individual entries.
There are two more Rapunzels, being No.15 at 22 Stopples Lane,
and 20 at 6, Heath Road.
No. 21, The Pied Piper of Hamelin attracts the rats two doors away at number 10;
Rodents, in the form of entry number 19, Cinderella’s mice, also appear to infest 43, Charnock Close.
After this, Jackie drove us to Christchurch, on the banks of the River Stour.
The Red Arrows (http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/) were performing various routines in the sky above,
leaving their trademark trails passing the mastheads.
Various activities included kayaking;
more leisurely boating;
feeding the birds,
like these swans vying for victuals;
kicking pigeons;
swinging on rails;
or toddling along, balloon in tow.
Some, more sedentary, enjoyed the comforts of benches and deckchairs.
Others stepped it out along the quayside.
One young woman enjoyed a ride in a wheelchair.
Jackie and I were not the only ones who enjoyed an ice cream.
Some way from its natural environment, a hippopotamus canoodled with a mallard,
and, in the distance, waterfowl lined up in harmony with the beach huts of Mudeford. Thanks to my friend, Lisa, I now know that the woman on the right is paddle boarding.
This evening we dined on a highly spiced pizza and salad. Jackie drank Hoegaarden, and I drank Almocreve tinto reserva 2014.
The first Rapunzel is a winner, as is that second photo of you myriad flowers. I do like the way you capture people at their leisure. Looks like a good day!
I’m with you! She’s definitely a winner.
Thank you both
Thanks very much, Lisa.
BRILLIANT! The beginning is so darn clever!
Thanks so much, Candice
The planting of flowers of different sizes and colours look so harmonious together.
Clever use of rodents in the scarecrow competition.
BRILLIANT photographs of the air show!
Love the photos of children particularly the family of blue, the head of hair on that girl and the child hanging on the railing but in this country you might get arrested for taking them.
Many thanks, Mary. Here it is not illegal to photograph people in a public place, but I usually ask permission any way. That little girl’s mother had the same colour hair.
Good idea.
I liked the first Rapunzel’s long trailing hair.
I was surprised by the different colored trails left by the planes.
It looks like wonderful, leisurely day out by the water, and you captured it so well in your shots. I liked the mix of color and black and white.
Highly spiced pizza, salad, and red wine is one of my favorite meals. 🙂
Very many thanks, Merril
Rapunzel no. 15 has my vote for this post, with the Pied Piper a close second. Also enjoyed the aerial display. Great pics.
Thanks very much, Oglach
So my question is: have all crows been scared away from Hoddle? Maybe they are right now talking about the weapons of mass destruction in that town!
Caw! Thank you, Gwen 🙂
Wonderful, Derrick! I loved the variety…and that tree…it’s beautiful!
Many thanks, Jill
One has to wonder why Rapunzel is so very popular in Hordle …….. And what a busy place your Christchurch is! The iron urn flowers is my favourite photo today!
Many thanks, Pauline. I’m pleased I included that one, although I wondered whether garden pics were necessary, with everything else going on. I wondered about Rapunzel, too..
I bet she was suggested simply as an example by the organizing committee, then everyone takes it up.
Thanks, Paul
I’m for the pied piper of Hamlin! And appreciate how you have captured the variety of people enjoying the summer with their different activities. ☺️
Thanks very much, Val. He had a great pair of boots and more rats lower down, but I couldn’t get the camera down there.
Your more random shots are sometimes the ones I like the most. 🙂 Thanks!
And thank you, Cynthia
A portrait of a pretty lovely summer day. Nice one, Derrick. ☺
Many thanks, Van
I like the girls swinging on the rail the best!
Same here. An Olympic gymnast in the making, perhaps?
Could be. Perhaps she’s been watching TV
Probably doing what kids have done since the year dot. In a month’s time, or a month ago, it may well have passed without comment.
Thanks, Paul
It’s always good to see kids just doing their thing, without all sorts of safety gear around them.
True
That was one of my favourites, too, Cindy. I took a few of her and her Mum, then she suddenly did that. Thank you.
I love the scarecrows and the swans.
Thanks very much, Sylvie
I love the first two shots and really like your black and white photography. Funnily sometimes your photography of people makes them look like flowers. They somehow blend into the landscape. I have never noticed that effect with other people’s photography.
That’s a kind observation, Geetha. Thank you.
Welcome. It’s the truth, or at least my perceived truth 🙂
Loved the people and air show. The second shot of cosmos is stunning!
Thanks very much, Mary
What a glorious day of people watching! You guys have all the fun!
Many thanks, Anna
How do you pronounce “victuals” in your country?
Vittles, I think – only a word one would ever use in the interests of alliteration :). Thanks, Yvonne
That IS right, Derrick. It turns up in Great Expectations, when Magwitch asks Pip to get him “wittles” (thus transliterated, to make it clear to Dickens’ middle-class audience that Magwitch was a Cockney and a low-life [not to connect irrevocably those two aspects these days, before anyone writes in]).
Thanks a lot, Paul
I think that the Rapunzel at 6, Heath Road has had some kind of plastic surgery!
🙂 thanks, John
Looks like everyone is enjoying the summer weather in your part of the world. Love the Pied Piper. 🙂 The Hippo and the Mallard are very unlikely friends. Great shot, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Sylvia
I’ve loved the scarecrow trail and being a closet Rapunzel myself, of course I love those two – Cinders is very sweet too with her meece in tow. And the Arrows – always thrilling but my favourite has to be the wallowing hippo with unpeturbed Mrs Duck bobbing next to him. Of course I know he isnt’ real but that’s what imagination is for, isn’t it?
Many thanks, Osyth, for this full response. It is, indeed food for the imagination
Kicking pigeons. . . lol . . . the little brat. : )
Of course, he was completely unsuccessful 🙂
I’m sure he’s a darling, as well. Just playing. : )
Of course. What small boy doesn’t like to have a go at scaring the birds?
Nice to see people out enjoying themselves. Incidentally, I agree with the emerging consensus about the first Rapunzel. 🙂
Thank you, Bun
The first Rapunzel is great, but I also like Pied Piper. Hope the ducks watched out for that hippo! Nice shots of a summer day.
Many thank, Laurie
Love the swinging on the rails picture.
Certainly one of my favourites. Thanks, Sue
What a busy day! Rapunzel would get my vote too! I am pleased to say I have a hedychium about to do its stuff too – just a few days to wait I think
Thanks, Geoff. Especially for the botanical name 🙂
A fantastic post! I love all of the photos but the flowers in the garden are just glorious!
Many thanks, Lynn
I love these photos! so nice
The first Rapunzel also gets my vote, and she has her own balcony, as well! I love how the hippo was canoodling with the duck. 🙂
Thanks very much, Rose
Your carnival would be doubly good quality if all THESE judges coughed up their twopenny’orth!!
My father, who worked for Follands in the 50s, was involved in the design of the Gnat, the plane the Red Arrows fly. It morphed into a trainer aircraft (having been designed as a fighter, the version my dad must have worked on), hence the Red Arrows using it for display flying.
If you can blow up even more that last shot of Lisa’s “paddle-boarder” about to be run down by a passing moter-cruiser :-), there might be an unusal bird in that flock: 2/5ths of the way across, there’s an apparently black one, with possibly an orange bill (over its shoulder, as if preening). The orange bit might be something behind it on the shore, in which case it’s a crow. If the orange bit is attached, it’s something more ususual. Did anyone else spot the lone lapwing/peewit/green plover, too [one species, many names!]
Many thanks, Paul. I did think I’d seen a lapwing
What wonderful summer photos! The Rapunzel in the balcony gets our vote. The Hippo is not bad either even though he is not an entry in the competition. Not that he is doing a great job of scaring away birds.
Very many thanks, both of you, LL/PS 🙂